Rochester region posts only loss in private-sector jobs in upstate

Metropolitan Rochester was the only upstate region to post a loss in private-sector jobs in July, the state Department of Labor said Thursday.

Over the last year in Rochester the private sector lost 400 jobs, or 0.1 percent, while some 600 non-farm jobs, or 0.1 percent, were added, not seasonally adjusted. Non-farm jobs include both private sector and government jobs.

Rochester ranked sixth among 11 upstate metro regions in terms of the number of non-farm jobs added in July.

The Buffalo area added 6,600 non-farm jobs, or 1.2 percent, from July 2012 to July 2013, while the private sector added 8,200, or 1.8 percent. The Syracuse-area economy also improved, with a 4,100 non-farm job increase, or 1.3 percent, and a 3,500-job increase in the private sector, or 1.4 percent.

In the 52-county Upstate New York region, non-farm job growth over the last year was 16,800, while the private sector added 22,200 jobs, not seasonally adjusted. Statewide, some 119,800 non-farm jobs were added last month, while the private sector gained 193,300 jobs.

From June to July the state lost 7,300 non-farm jobs, while the private sector lost 9,200 jobs, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in New York last month remained at 7.5 percent.

Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons for the same month, for example, July 2012 versus July 2013, the department has noted. When comparing different months, seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid comparison.

The educational and health services sector outpaced all other sectors statewide in July in jobs gains, having added 37,000 jobs since July 2012. Manufacturing led the sectors with the most job losses, shedding 15,800, jobs.